Matthew 21:28-32 Isaiah 9:1-7

We’re embarking on a new series called “Whispers of Grace,” drawing inspiration from the book 15 New Testament Words of Life by Nijay K. Gupta. This series will explore key New Testament concepts and connect them to the broader story of Scripture. This week, we’re diving into the word righteousness.

What comes to mind when you hear “righteousness”? Perhaps negative connotations like self-righteousness or those judgmental “holier-than-thou” types? Maybe you think of the Righteous Brothers? Or if you’re a child of the ’80s like me, maybe Ferris Bueller being called “one righteous dude” pops into your head.

The truth is, “righteousness” isn’t a word we use much in everyday conversation. It can sound religious, even a bit stuffy. Theologically, it can get bogged down in complex terms like the “great transaction”—the idea that Christ’s righteousness is imputed to us, covering our sin. But what does that actually mean for our lives?

In the Bible, two primary words capture this idea: the Hebrew word tzadik (prominent in the Old Testament, emphasizing the righteousness of God’s people) and the Greek word dikaiosyne (found throughout the New Testament). Righteousness is a fundamental concept in Scripture, one we can’t ignore.

To begin our exploration, let’s look at a story Jesus tells in Matthew 21:28-32:

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

“‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing.

“‘I will, sir,’ he answered, but he did not go.

“Which of the two sons did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.”

Jesus tells this straightforward parable after his authority is questioned by religious leaders. The answer is obvious: the son who initially refused but ultimately obeyed did his father’s will. Then comes the kicker: Jesus says tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom before the very religious people he’s addressing.

Think about that. He’s talking to those who went to the temple, believed in God, worshipped, offered sacrifices, tithed—all the “right” religious things. Sound familiar? We, the churchgoers, are often those very people. We do the religious stuff. Yet Jesus says, “You haven’t repented and believed. The sinners get it; you don’t.”

Why? Because righteousness isn’t about checking boxes. It’s not about reading your Bible for 15 minutes, praying for 15 minutes, giving your offering, attending church, and avoiding curse words. If that were righteousness, Jesus wouldn’t have needed to come. Plenty of people go through the motions of doing the “right” things.

The difference between the two sons lies in a heart transformation. Jesus highlights the contrast between those who initially reject God but then repent and believe, and those who outwardly affirm God but whose hearts remain unchanged, leading to inaction.

Biblical righteousness is about a transformation of the heart and soul. It’s about becoming people who reflect who Christ is. Interestingly, in the Old Testament, particularly in the Psalms, the words righteousness and compassion appear frequently side-by-side. This is striking because in our modern understanding, righteousness is often divorced from compassion. We tend to think of the righteous as those who point fingers and condemn, the opposite of compassionate.

Yet, throughout the Psalms, God’s righteousness and compassion are intertwined. To be righteous is to be compassionate, and to be compassionate is to be righteous. Jesus’s righteousness, as portrayed in Matthew, stems from the core of his being and moves him toward compassion.

Furthermore, righteousness isn’t just an individual pursuit; it’s also corporate. When a group of people hunger and thirst for righteousness, their collective actions will reflect that desire. Isaiah 9:6-7 speaks of the Messiah establishing his kingdom with justice and righteousness, a reign that has a communal and societal impact.

Matthew 25:31-46 gives us a glimpse of what this corporate righteousness looks like: caring for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned. Jesus equates these acts of compassion with serving him directly. This is how we, collectively, bring righteousness into the world—through acts of compassion and reconciliation.

Paul’s emphasis on the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control) further illustrates the evidence of inner righteousness manifesting outwardly. This often involves caring for those on the margins of society.

This isn’t a new concept. Even in the early church, as recorded in Acts, when the Gentile believers weren’t adhering to all the Jewish customs, the emphasis shifted from outward rituals to the inward work of the Holy Spirit, evidenced by their love and care for one another, including remembering the poor. Righteousness and compassion have always been two sides of the same coin in the Kingdom of God.

So, this week, I challenge you to consider: which son are you in Jesus’s parable? Are you quick to say you’re the first, the one who ultimately obeys? Perhaps you are. But are there still traces of the second son within you? If someone observed your life for a week, would they see love, compassion, and mercy, or would they see judgment and hypocrisy?

The truth is, many of us, myself included, often fall into the pattern of the second son. We profess one thing but fail to live it out consistently. This is a constant battle, a continuous submission to Christ. We haven’t arrived, and the journey toward righteousness is a lifelong one.

Let us ask God to reveal the areas in our lives where we resemble the second son. Let us strive to be those who not only hear God’s call but actively go into the vineyard, demonstrating his love and compassion to the world. For those who hunger and thirst for this kind of righteousness will indeed be satisfied.

A prayer:

Heavenly Father, thank you for sending Christ to transform us and make us new creations. We pray that our lives would reflect this reality, marked by love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. May our righteousness be intertwined with compassion, reflecting your very nature to the world. In Jesus' name, amen.